The election petition tribunal sitting in Osogbo has dismissed the petition of the candidate of the Accord Party, Barrister Niyi Owolade. This has actually revealed the farce that passed as petitions at the tribunal.
Owolade had asked for the withdrawal of the petition on the ground of insufficient time. This drew sharp rebuke from the tribunal which charged Owolade of asking for incessant adjournments only to turn round and ask for withdrawal. The petition was then dismissed and N50,000 cost awarded to Aregbesola.
It is a mark of civility to seek legal redress for any perceived injustice and especially on an election, which borders on the sacred mandate of the people. However, this petition was baseless and frivolous ab initio. It was meant to give the wrong impression and cast doubt on an election that was won by Governor Rauf Aregbesola, in spite of all the obstacles put in his way by the PDP Federal Government.
The interesting thing about this case is that both Owolade and Senator Iyiola Omisore, the other petitioner at the tribunal, relied on and put forward basically the same evidence and argued in the same way. Nevertheless, they relied more on deception, lies and misinformation rather than on truth and pursuit of justice.
While the examination of ballot papers was going on, PDP spin a lie that 100,000 ballot papers which belonged to Omisore and wrongly credited to Aregbesola had been discovered and returned to its rightful owner. They now concluded that the discovery had tilted the result in favour of Omisore who would be sworn in on November 27 last year, instead Aregbesola. But as truth would have it, it was Aregbesola that was sworn in. The lie was knocked from its bottom. A television station, AIT, which published the story on its website retracted it with an apology.
The truth eventually came out in the course of the inspection, that not only was a single case of irregularity like invalid ballot paper, unsigned result sheet or unstamped result not found, a recount of the ballot papers was not even in the prayers of Omisore before the tribunal. So a transfer of even a single ballot from Aregbesola to Omisore is not going to happen. The tribunal cannot give to you what you never asked for.
Then again, the PDP caused to be published in some dailies the falsehood that there was over-voting in Oriade Local Government. If this were to be true, it would have established one of the claims of Omisore but the tribunal strongly disavowed this reporting and had to summon the correspondent of punch newspaper who syndicated the story. The tribunal averred that the report was false. The correspondent ran away and never showed up at the tribunal.
Indeed, in the course of inspection, tendering evidence or calling witnesses, it was never established that there was irregularities anywhere. Rather, what was established, even by Omisore’s witnesses, including PDP state secretary, was that the election was peaceful, free and fair.
It is not for me to preempt the tribunal’s judgement, but what is clear now is that PDP went to the tribunal as a face saving measure in order to rally its members in the vain hope of mitigating a catastrophic outing in February general election.

The Osun House of Assembly on Monday said it would give the state government’s 2015 budget a speedy consideration and passage.
Mr Najeem Salaam, Speaker of the house, said this in Osogbo while declaring open the 2015 budget defence by government Ministries, Agencies and Parastatals (MDAs). Salaam said the house would take a critical look at details of the budget estimates before giving its approval.
NAN reports that Gov. Rauf Aregbesola had in December 2014 presented a budget of N197 billion to the assembly. The speaker, who noted that the house would give priority to projects that were implementable, stressed that adjustments would be made where necessary in the proposed budget.
In his remarks, Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Mr Kamil Oyedele, urged various MDAs to ensure that funds allocated were used for developmental projects. Oyedele also said the house would ensure that approvals were given to only implementable projects.
Some of the MDAs that were present at the defence on Monday included the Ministry of Education, Osun Mass Education Agency, ‎Osun State Polytechnic, Iree; Teachers Establishment and Pension Office.

The Government of the State of Osun has described as very shameful, what it called the blatant lies of leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during the party’s presidential campaigns rally in Osogbo on Tuesday.

An aide to Governor Rauf Aregbesola, Semiu Okanlawon, in a reaction to claims by the Vice President Namadi Sambo and the National Chairman of the Party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu, who asked workers in Osun to demand for their salaries claiming that Osun state government collects its federation account allocations as at when due, said it is a tragedy of immense proportion when people in exalted offices such that of the vice president of a country could descend so low to the point of telling barefaced lies to score cheap political points.

Okanlawon who is the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy in a statement, said both Muazu and Sambo should tell the world when last were civil servants under the direct employment of the Federal Government paid as at when due.

“It is easy for Sambo, Muazu and other discredited leaders of the PDP to come to Osun and tell blatant lies over Federal Government’s obligations and make bogus claims about non-existent federal government presence in Osun.

Apart from the continually unexplained late release of allocations, Okanlawon said it is an open truth that allocations to states have also dropped in an unimaginable proportion.

“How can Sambo and Muazu justify the criminal reductions in the allocations to a state like Osun from N4.6billion to N1.1billion? In a state where salaries of workers alone carry more than N3.6billion, what magic do the PDP leaders have to make any state fulfil its obligations as at when due? Even with Federal Government unfair chunk of the allocation, why does it owe federal workers salaries” he queried.

The governor’s aide said the irrational comments made by the PDP leaders over salaries further confirmed their evil plot to starve opposition’s states of funds as a ploy to turn the people against them.

“But their evil plans have failed woefully. Not only have the people of Osun comprehended the real reasons for the funds starvation, they have gone ahead to look for means of sustaining the state in spite of the disappearing funds from the Federal Government.

“In case Sambo and Muazu are not aware, workers in Osun under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress, have risen to the challenges. Rather than being in confrontations with the government of the APC under Aregbesola, they are brainstorming to come up with alternative plans to get funds to run the state efficiently. We are confident to state that only workers who know the prudence, capacity and commitment of their government to their welfare would do this,” Okanlawon said

He said it is particularly disheartening that the PDP leaders could list roads as part of their achievements in Osun.

“Are these roads constructed by the PDP federal government built in the sky? Have they forgotten that the people of Osun ply the Osogbo-Ilobu Road; Osogbo-Ilesa Road and other federal roads in Osun and ccan attest to the shameful conditions of these roads? Even the blind would confirm that everywhere they turn, it is the handworks of the Osun APC government they see on roads. Let the PDP government point to just one road it has initiated and completed and delivered for public use in the last 10 years. They certainly won’t have any to point to.”

The statement reminded the PDP leadership that just as it has never found any foothold in Osun since the advent of the Aregbesola administration; it will not have any inroad.

He added, “The PDP should remember that it suffered a humiliating defeat in 2011. Its criminal invasion of Osun also failed to make any impact in August 2014 as its candidate lost woefully. And just as the then ACN presidential candidate was voted overwhelmingly in 2011, the APC candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, will be voted in by the people of Osun.

“All these are because the government in Osun has demonstrated an unparalleled capacity to deliver good governance and transform the lives of the people.”

Okanlawon who also reacted to claim by the defeated candidate of the PDP in the last election, Mr. Iyiola Omisore, on alleged debt by the state, said Omisore has high reputation for unverified claims.

“As for Omisore, we know he is still dazed by the defeat he suffered in August last year that he can no longer remember that the it took the Director General of the Debt Management Office of the Presidency, to confirm that Osun’s debt is not in any way outside the limit of what it could get. In addition, the people of Osun have seen the outcome of the little borrowing in the massive transformations that have taken place in the state.”

Pictures of the Vice Presidential Candidate, All Progressive Congress (APC), Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and All Progressive Congress (APC),Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari during the Presidential Campaign Rally in Ogun State at MKO Abiola International Stadium Abeokuta, Ogun State on Tuesday 13/01/2015.

*From left -* Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; All
Progressive Congress (APC),Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari
and Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun during the Presidential
Campaign Rally in Ogun State at MKO Abiola International Stadium Abeokuta,
Ogun State on Tuesday 13/01/2015.

*From left –* Vice Presidential Candidate, All Progressive Congress (APC),
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; All
Progressive Congress (APC),Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari
and Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun during the Presidential
Campaign Rally in Ogun State at MKO Abiola International Stadium Abeokuta,
Ogun State on Tuesday 13/01/2015.

*From left – *Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; National
Chairman, All Progressive Congress (APC),Chief John Odigie – Oyegun and All
Progressive Congress (APC),Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari
during the Presidential Campaign Rally in Ogun State at MKO Abiola
International Stadium Abeokuta, Ogun State on Tuesday 13/01/2015.

*From left –* Vice Presidential Candidate, All Progressive Congress (APC),
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and All
Progressive Congress (APC),Presidential Candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari
during the Presidential Campaign Rally in Ogun State at MKO Abiola
International Stadium Abeokuta, Ogun State on Tuesday 13/01/2015.

Osun State Agricultural Development Corporation (OSSADEC) on Tuesday proposed N500 million loans for agricultural development in the state in 2015.
Mr Kayode Olanipekun, the General Manager, while presenting the budget of the Agency to the state House of Assembly, said the agency was ready to partner with Bank of Agriculture on its proposal.
Olanipekun, who said the loan was meant to be disbursed to persons, including farmers, corporate and incorporate bodies.
“This programme will facilitate the provision of government support services which in turn will yield revenue through pay back by the beneficiaries.
“We intend to invest in our beneficiaries who in turn are expected to invest in agricultural enterprises.
“Proceeds from the produce of these investments will improve and boost the economy of the state and nation at large.
“We have come up with the proposal because we are aware that the budget of this year is revenue driven,” he said.
He added that the agency was ready to generate about N10 million on sale of various agricultural implements.
the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Assembly on Tuesday continued hearing budget presentations of ministries, agencies and parastatals.
(NAN)

The All Progressives Congress candidate for Obokun State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, has lauded the understanding of teachers in the state for calling off their ‘sit-down strike’.
He said the understanding shown by the leadership and members of the Nigeria Union of Teacher underscored their patriotism and support for Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration, as well as their commitment for change in Nigeria.
Speaking at the Obokun Local Government Education Board 2015 ecumenical prayer in Ibokun on Friday, Oyintiloye said the basis for the grievances of the teachers was propelled by the paucity of funds occasioned by the slash in federal allocation to the state.
The Osun NUT had suspended the strike the members embarked upon since December 2, 2014, to protest the non-payment of leave bonus, leave grants to secondary school teachers and non-payment of examination and running grants to schools in the state.
“The financial challenge we are facing in Osun today is not orchestrated by our government, but by the PDP-led Federal Government, which drastically reduced our allocation so that we will not be able to meet your demands.
“If not for the good understanding and your intelligence, you will not agree with us that it is not our government that is out to punish you, but the Federal Government,” he said.
OSUN DEFENDER

Pictures of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola with the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate in Delta State, Olorogun Otega Emerhor, and others, during a recent courtesy call on the Governor in Government House, Osogbo, State of Osun

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) with All
Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate in Delta State,
Olorogun Otega Emerhor, during a recent courtesy call on the Governor
in Government House, Osogbo, State of Osun

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right); All
Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate in Delta State,
Olorogun Otega Emerhor (2nd left); APC Treasurer, Osun Chapter, Mr
Segun Olanibi (left) and Mr Sonni Afenogho (right), during a recent
courtesy call on the Governor in Government House, Osogbo, State of
Osun

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (centre); All
Progressives Congress (APC) Governorship Candidate in Delta State,
Olorogun Otega Emerhor (2nd left); APC Treasurer, Osun Chapter, Mr
Segun Olanibi (left); APC Publicity Secretary, Barrister Kunle Oyatomi
(right) and Mr Sonni Afenogho (2nd right), during a recent courtesy
call on the Governor in Government House, Osogbo, State of Osun

No fewer than 413,588 registered voters representing 29.41 per cent are yet to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) in Osun State.
This was disclosed by the Chief Public Affairs Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Osun State Directorates, Mrs. Adenike Tadese, while speaking Daily Independent in Osogbo.
She explained that a little over 70 per cent of the registered voters have so far collected their Permanent Voter Cards.
She declared that Osun INEC had received one million, four hundred and six thousand, one hundred and forty seven PVC from the National Headquarters of INEC.
She disclosed that as at December 24, 2014, 992,559 PVC representing 70.59 per cent have been distributed to the electorates in the state.
DAILY INDEPENDENT

Osun State government has signed a memorandum of understanding, MoU, with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, Ibadan, Oyo State, in order to boost food production in the state.

The agreement is aimed at making available improved seedlings, the government said, which is imperative since agriculture remains an alternative to dwindling oil revenue from the federation account.
The government also claimed it has entered into partnership with the Institute for the Establishment of Seed Laboratory, IESL, in collaboration with the state’s university, UNIOSUN, to enhance profitable seed and seedling multiplication business in the state. In his remarks during the signing ceremony at IITA, Ibadan, Director General, Office of Economic Development and Partnerships, OEDP, Dr. Charles Diji Akinola, said the partnership with the institute would help the state achieve the goal of seed multiplication programme under its Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Programme, O-REAP, to prevent yield failure due to low quality seeds.
Akinola, the state coordinator of OREAP further disclosed that IITA will support the partnership technically for it to achieve the objective of production of quality seeds, in terms of breeding, production and certification of seeds quality.
The Deputy Director General, Partnerships and Capacity Development of the institute, Dr. Kenton Dashiell, in his response promised it would ensure that the agreement with Osun State government yield positive results.
NATIONAL MIRROR

The laws that created rooms for periodic elections into 1, 695 elective public offices in Nigeria, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is empowered to conduct, also allow rooms for Elections’ Petition Tribunals (equivalent of high courts) to handle judicial petitions aris­ing from the conduct of such polls, with a view to determining the authenticity or otherwise of such polls. Such petitions are filed by aggrieved parties. Matters that are brought before polls’ tribunals are those that have to do with the con­duct of the polls proper. In the Constitu­tion of Nigeria, 1999, as amended in 2011 and the Electoral Act of the Federation of 2010, governorship poll tribunal cases start at the tribunal (high court) and terminate at the Supreme Court (three steps).
The Constitution envisages that contes­tants are likely to be aggrieved. And, in true democracy, such situations are given the best opportunity to be addressed, so that true de­mocracy is not only achieved but also seen, by the majority, to have been achieved. This is where the constituting of Osun State Elec­tion Petition Tribunal could be situated.
Despite the open and widespread knowl­edge in Osun State and beyond that candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Iyiola Omisore was not a match to the incumbent governor Rauf Aregbesola in electoral contests, as clearly demonstrated through the ballots on the 9th of August, 2014, the former still went on to challenge what was and is still regarded as a clear vic­tory to the incumbent.
Analysts have argued that this is nothing but a gross abuse of the tribunal, or judicial, process. The result of the election that gave victory to Ogbeni was incontrovertible as there was no serious reported case of irregu­larities or violence in areas where he gained victory to warrant going to the Tribunal de­spite provocations on the ruling All Progres­sive Congress, APC, in the state by agents of the federal government which backed Omi­sore with every conceivable arsenal. If there was any violation, it certainly came from ar­eas where the PDP candidate had some per­ceived advantages. But because the law has the duty to entertain even the most ridiculous petition as stated above, the process had to be followed through.
From the beginning of the hearings at the Tribunal at the Osogbo High Court, to the tendering of exhibits through to the presenta­tion of Petitioner’s Witnesses, it was nothing but a case of the absurd. We had the annoy­ing, the abusive, the funny as well as even the entertainingly ridiculous, which I term the Awada Kerekeri scenarios.
In the Yoruba entertainment scenes, Awada Kerikeri is the comedy genre meant to relief tension after a serious day at work. Comedies and comedians are often injected into seri­ous drama scenes to put our nerves at bay. So, whatever happens in comedy series and scenes are often taken for what they truly are- Comedy-unserious, footnotes and extrane­ous. The petition of Iyiola Omisore, the loser of the August 9, 2014 gubernatorial election in Osun State, is nothing other than Comedy, or, Awada Kerikeri, where the participants, including the Chief Petitioner himself, his so called witnesses and his band of supporters are nothing but Alawada, or comedians.
It is rather too unimaginable that a peti­tioner would claim irregularities in 85 poll­ing units of the 105 of a local government area and call only 3 witnesses whose only evidence is, in most cases, by proxy, or hear­say, which he knows is clearly inadmissible in law. As a Petitioner’s Witness, by defini­tion, you ought to be the first-hand witness to the event in contention. You are not supposed to present third party information. And even then, calling 3 witnesses representing only 3 polling units of the alleged 85 in my native Ikire, Irewole Local government example is nothing but absurdity and a waste of time and deliberate plot to distract the government of Osun. What happens to the remaining 82 polling booths where you claim irregularity that made you lose the election? The picture painted above also represents what the Peti­tioner was claiming in virtually all the other local governments contested.
More bizarre is the fact that the Petitioner called a witness in respect of unit 4 ward 6 of Ejigbo Local government area of the State to prove that the election result from this unit was invalid. Ejigbo has 68 polling units, and the petitioners are challenging 49. Interest­ingly, the result of the Unit 4 had been can­celled during the election by the Presiding Officer for malpractices perpetrated by PDP agent and supporters in the polling unit! Do these Petitioners know what they are doing at all trying to invalidate an already invalidated result?
So, why seeking to invalidate an already invalidated result, if not to waste time and distract governance?
The above absurd scenarios played out in all the 17 local governments in contention by the Petitioners.
From the above analysis done on a Local Government by Local Government basis, it is crystal clear that out of 965 Polling Units be­ing challenged by the Petitioners, they only called evidence in support of their petition in only 239 Polling Units with the abandonment of 726 Polling Units pleaded in their petition. Assuming, without conceding, that the Peti­tioners have led credible evidence in all the 239 polling units (which is not the case here), is that enough to sway the judgment in their favour? 239 Polling Units represent 7.94 per cent of the 3,010 polling units contained in the State. This is definitely too insignificant to upturn the result of the gubernatorial elec­tion held on August 9, 2014.
To make matters worse, the Petitioners tendered Form EC8A in respect of only 230 units which mean that even if their claim suc­ceeds in respect of the 239 Polling Units in which evidence was led, the Tribunal can only rule in their favour in respect of the said 230 Polling Units in which Form EC8A was tendered.
Akinola, a social and political commen­tator wrote through dolam2005@yahoo.com